June 2008
Energy Efficiency Quickly Becoming Global Focus
Leaders from China, India, South Korea, Canada, Russia, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, UK, and US met in Aomori, Japan this month to discuss Global Security and Global Climate Change. The International Partnership for Energy Efficiency Cooperation (IPEEC) was established to serve as a forum across public and private sectors. "To meet our global energy challenges, each nation represented at this weekend's meetings must be an active participant in developing energy solutions that not only address future growth in energy demand, but do so in a way that reduces our impact on the earth's environment," said Samuel Wright Bodman, U.S. Secretary of Energy. With oil prices skyrocketing in the US, it's not just Alternative Energy companies that are worried about going green. We are seeing all of our clients moving toward environmentally friendly products. From an R&D perspective, focusing on energy efficiency is often the cheapest and quickest approach.
Housing and Job Markets Bring Hiring Closer to Home
As recruiters, candidates often ask us what we are seeing in the job marketplace. One of the growing themes lately is the issue of relocation. In the past the entire country was open for harvest, but these days it's not just the candidates in Detroit that cannot relocate because of the declining real-estate market. It is becoming tougher to find candidates ready to take a loss on a home for an employer they fear (rationally or not) may have to cut back soon due to the economy. Pessimism is growing, and unless companies are open to absorbing a loss on a home sale, neighborhood candidates may have a very strong advantage for some time to come.
Pay Cut? Are You Kidding?
Would it surprise you to know that up to 25% of candidates are willing to take a pay cut? There are many instances when money is not the most important motivator. If you have a senior in high school and cannot relocate, the location may be your top priority. Some people will accept the job for stability alone. Maybe the team and culture of the company are enough to get you in the door for a slightly lower salary because you know you will love your job. Maybe you're looking for something that aligns better with your values. Challenge and advancement drive many people. And of course, the base salary is only a small portion of total compensation. Bonus, 401k match, profit sharing, and continuing education are certainly factors to consider. No matter what your motivation, your next job change will never be about salary alone. After doing your homework, you may very well take a cut yourself! Moving forward in your career is so much more than getting a raise.
Unemployment History (percentage)
Job Search Tip of the Month
A full-scale job search is a fulltime job! A really great resume takes lots of time to prepare and you'll be sending it out to literally hundreds of places. Make sure that those hours of preparation pay off.
- Keep a list of who you sent your resume to and for what position. If you can, keep a copy of the job description close at hand as well. This way, should a Recruiter or Hiring Manager call you for a telephone interview, you'll be able to easily refer back to your list and know who is calling you and why. You'll look professional and prepared and will be able to spend those first 30 seconds creating a connection with the caller.
- Follow up! Use your list to track the opportunities you're most excited about and make follow-up calls every 7-10 days.
Resume Tip of the Month
Write an accomplishment-driven resume but don't neglect the specifics of your experience!
Your bullet points should list what you're most proud of, not what you were responsible for. Keep your functional responsibility down to a one-liner under your title: "Performed such-and-such a function for X type company of X size." Do include what type of company it is and what kinds of products and markets you focused on, though. If you're hiring authority is looking for someone with highly specific experience, you'll be up against specialists who have it mentioned all over their resumes.
Quote of the Month
"A market is never saturated with a good product, but it is very quickly saturated with a bad one."
Henry Ford